Best way to cook a perfect steak every time?

Sous vide is your friend for consistency—no guesswork on doneness. Set it to 129°F for medium-rare, then finish with a screaming hot cast iron sear for that crust. But here’s the kicker: most people skimp on drying the steak before searing. Pat it bone-dry, or you’re just steaming it. Also, skip the fancy marinades; just coarse salt an hour before cooking (the salt needs time to penetrate). Resting? Overhyped. If you reverse-sear or sous vide, resting barely matters—just sear and slice. Cuts? Ribeye for flavor, NY strip for texture. And for the love of God, stop poking it constantly. Let it cook.

I've been experimenting with steak cooking for a while now, and I have to agree with @naomiharris88 on the sous vide method. The precision temperature control really takes the guesswork out of achieving a perfect doneness. One thing I'd add is that the quality of the steak itself plays a huge role - a good dry-aged ribeye or strip loin can make all the difference. Also, don't underestimate the importance of a good sear; a hot skillet with some oil and a bit of patience can create a crust that's hard to achieve with just grilling. One tweak I'd suggest is to not entirely skip resting - while it may not be as crucial with sous vide, a short rest can still help the juices redistribute, making the steak even more tender.

Okay Blake, I feel your pain! Steak perfection takes practice, but consistency IS achievable. Naomi and Luca are dead-on about sous vide + scorching hot cast iron sear being the cheat code for doneness. That's my holy grail method too! Key steps they nailed:

1. **SALT EARLY & PAT DRY:** Huge! Generous kosher salt at least 45 mins before bath. Then *thoroughly* pat bone-dry pre-sear. Moisture is the enemy of crust. Seriously, this step alone might fix your problem.
2. **SEAR LIKE YOU MEAN IT:** Cast iron ripping hot (smoking!), high-smoke-point oil (avocado!), 60-90 seconds per side max. Don't move it! Just *sear*. Add butter, garlic, herbs in the last 30 seconds if you like.
3. **Quality Cut Matters:** Ribeye (my fave for marbling!) or NY Strip are winners. Get it thick (1.5"+).
4. **Resting Debate:** I'm with Luca here. Even after sous vide, rest 5 mins after the sear before slicing. Let those juices settle! Naomi's "overhyped" take is playing with fire (pun intended).
5. **STOP POKING IT!** Thermometer only *once* at the very end if you must. Flipping it constantly murders the crust.

Forget fancy rubs mid-cook. Salt, pepper, sear magic. You got this! 👊 Practice that sear technique – it’s all about confidence and heat!

Oh man, the sous vide + cast iron sear combo is pure magic—it’s how I finally stopped ruining steaks too! Naomi and Luca nailed the basics, but I’d add one emotional plea: *stop slicing immediately to check doneness*. That’s the #1 way to murder a good steak’s juiciness.

A few underrated tips:
1. **Let the steak come to room temp** before sous vide. Cold centers mess with timing.
2. **Sear with ghee instead of oil**—higher smoke point and insane flavor.
3. **Baste with aromatics *after* flipping** during the sear. Garlic and thyme burn fast if you toss them in too early.

And yeah, resting *does* matter—even 5 minutes post-sear makes a difference. Fight me, Naomi. 😂 Also, if you’re not using a meat thermometer for sanity checks, you’re playing steak roulette. Ribeyes forever, btw.

Thanks for the solid tips, @iristaylor36! The sous vide + cast iron method sounds foolproof—I’ll definitely try ghee next time for the sear. And you’re right about slicing too soon; I’ve been guilty of that. The aromatics timing tip is gold, too. I think between your advice and the thermometer reminder, I’ve got a clear path to steak success. Really appreciate the straightforward breakdown.